1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of tents having an illusory effect on observers. The tent surrounds the observer with a panoramic or continuous image which virtually transports the observer to another place or space. This invention also relates to the field of dioramas. Heretofore panoramic spaces have been either painted on rigid surfaces as domes or cupolas, or projected by means of film or slide projectors with wide-angle lenses onto rigid dome-like surfaces. The present invention, by contrast, is constructed from flat sections which are attached together to form the desired shape. This invention has only recently become feasible in the last two years due to advancements in digital printing technology, which enable photographic printing on large substrates or surfaces, including the flat sections which form the tent of the present invention. Also various photographic retouching software has recently been developed which enables one to manipulate original photographs or portions of original photographs before printing them onto the substrates.
2. Description of Prior Art
Myriads of tents having various designs are on the market today. Only a few provide illusory effects. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,010,909 to Cleveland discloses a knock-down deer blind, and U.S. Des. Pat. No. 337,366 to Baker discloses a hunting blind. These blinds are intended to camouflage the inhabitant of the blind, and they are not meant to be viewed from the inside of the blind. Both blinds may include an outside surface design to effect the camouflage. However, neither the Cleveland nor the Baker patent discloses a tent having an image applied to an inside surface of the blind.
In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 5,345,961 to Yercha discloses a toy cardboard tent having indicia printed upon its outside surface, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,556,391 to Tardivel discloses an inflatable ship interior simulating play tent. An ocean sailing scene is displayed on the Tardivel tent as a backdrop to the simulated ship which includes a simulated ship's wheel, a compass pointer, and a simulated mast. The sailing scene may be viewed from both the exterior and interior of the tent. However, Tardivel does not disclose the manner in which the sailing scene is applied to the tent nor application of panoramic views to the tent and therefore does not provide a visual effect that virtually transports observers to the pictured scene.